The Long Hard Road Into and Out of Hell
by Nanami Uzuki
Summary: Caddie and Will have been into Hell, and back out again. Now, with the re-arising of the Black Mage, and Hilla, a new enemy, they must go back in. That part isn't the problem- can they get back out once more? Pairings are: CaddieXNate CaddieXDigger WillXBrittney NateXCass FukaynaXDigger EckhartXOz and CygnusXPhantom
1. A really long and boring chapter

**Here is a MapleStory fanfiction I wrote. I seriously hope you enjoy it! Reviews always appreciated.**

_Chapter One~ A really lame, boring and very uneventful chapter pretty much just character descriptions and job details._

* * *

"C'mon c'mon c'mon she's RIGHT THERE. You know where WE are? RIGHT HERE. We need to be killing that damn mushroom!" Nate yelled, getting agitated that we were not attacking the ten-foot-tall orange mushroom in front of us.

Will gritted his teeth in frustration. "I don't know what you don't understand about 'You're level thirty-four'. You have to be level FIFTY in order to even DREAM about battling Mush Mom. Understood, noobie?" The level 124 Blade Master scoffed to the Dawn Warrior.

I rolled my eyes. The two were always bickering at each other, and it was kind of annoying. Nate stared at the back of Will's head, as if trying to bore holes into it.

"I'm confused too, why ARE we waiting around to kill her when you could dice her in one- sorry, TWO slashes?" I asked, correcting myself upon seeing his two half-moon shaped blades, both so sharp and shiny that I could see my reflection in them. I saw my long black hair that went to my waist with the violet strip in it. I saw my blood red eyes. I saw my snow-pale, freckless cheeks. I wore a teal, strapless shirt, light-blue denim jeans, and teal flip flops. On my wrist I had my Gold Titans, a present my father had given me when I was nine, seven years ago. In English, the item that specified my class- a lvl82 Nightwalker, a warrior of Lady Cygnus herself, and a favored student of Eckhart, the master of all Nightwalkers. This gear was not what I would normally wear on a mission for the Cygnus Kingdom, but currently we were just free-training, or really just staring at Mush Mom.

Nate was 17, had dark brown hair, hinted with a slight bit of red. Maroon actually, if you looked at it right. He was the tallest of all three us, reaching approx. 6' 2". He was also scrawny for a warrior, a Dawn Warrior nonetheless, which was probably why none of the other Cygnus Knights respected him, except me of course. Only because I knew that no matter what level he was, he could take me down whenever he wanted. Probably because I was much weaker than him, being that he was a person of close-combat, and I preferred long-distance, so I had no muscle mass. He at least had something, or everything, in my opinion. The warm brown eyes, the perfect colored complexion which was not quite brown but was not white either. More like... mocha colored. And that day he wore a white t-shirt with a red and black plaid styled over shirt with sleeves that reached his elbows, dark blue jeans, and worn-out black sneakers. As a weapon he had a three foot long broadsword that probably weighed half as much as I did. (65 pounds, if you want to know.)

Last and certainly not least in our group was Will, age 17. He was the genius and leader of our little group, not to mention my older brother. He was only a few inches shorter than Nate, and was pretty darn pale. He had long black hair that reached the base of his neck, with bangs covering his right eye, with the roots of his hair being dyed blond. Like me, he too had no freckles and red eyes. The similarities between us pretty much stopped there though. He was quite a comical person if you caught him in the right time in the right mood, but got easily pissy if he didn't have his coffee or was just in a random bad mood, like today for example. He wore black jeans, black sneakers with purple laces on the left foot and green on the right, a plain black t-shirt, and a black bandana hiding his face from the bridge of his nose down, hiding a scar that will be explained later, for that is another story and shall be told another time.

"I told you Caddie, I'm doing a research project on Mush Mom in her natural habitat." Will reminded me, settling deeper into the bush he was hiding in.

Nate leaned up against a tree trunk, getting hot and grumpy, just like the rest of us were. "And you brought us along because...?" He left the question hanging in the air for Will to answer. I sent him a glare that told him to just shut up before he really pissed Will off to the point where Will just exploded and Mush Mom came at us full force. Nobody wanted that.

"I brought you here so when I DO finally kill her, you'd get a portion of the experience, Noobie." Will huffed, and Nate's face fell. "Yeah, bet you feel like an ass now right?" And with that, Nate stormed off in the opposite direction of Will and the Mush Mom, his pet Armored Pig named Pogo trailing not too far behind. I went after him.

"Nate just stop for a second here..." I tried to say, but he wasn't listening.

"I am so seriously sick of your brother calling me a f*cking Noob just because I'm not related to him, and I'm not a Dual Blade OR over level 100! I'll show that jackass, I'll show him someday that just because he has the highest level doesn't mean he can push people around!"

I threw my hand on his shoulder. "Nate, just calm yourself. He just still has not warmed up to you yet. You know how much the Cygnus Knights and the Dual Blades get along." He paused, realizing I was kind of right.

In the Maple world, there were five major classes, broken down by many sub-classes.

The Adventurers, which were broken down into Swordsmen, Magicians (Mages), Archers, Rogues, Dual Blades, Pirates, and Canoneers. These were the average everyday heroes that anyone could be.

Then the Cygnus Knights, broken down to: Dawn Warriors, Blaze Wizards, Nightwalkers, Wind Archers, Thunder Breakers, and the Mihiles, though you would be lucky to come across a Mihile. The Cygnus Knights were the protectors of everything, and basically everyone hated them because some of them walked around liked they owned the place because they were "Doing the work of Lady Cygnus", and were jackasses to everyone that was not a fellow knight. You had to have certain blood within you to be a Cygnus Knight.

Next were the Legendary Heroes: the Evans, Arans, Mercedes, Phantoms, and Luminous. The Heroes were people that come from a long line of powers.

After that were The Resistance: Mechanics, Battle Mages, Wild Hunters, and the Demon Slayers. The Resistance were fairly new, a resistance group from Eldestein going against Black Wings, a group wanting to resurrect some twin brother of Orchid (some guy to do with the Black Mage) yadda yadda yadda not a problem for the Cygnus Knights.

And finally, were the Nova Race: Kaisers, and Angelic Busters. Nobody really knows where they came from or why they are here, just simply they were that recent of an addition to the Maple World.

"I know you're frustrated with him Nate, but just try to calm down, okay?"

He nodded, looking almost sad. "Alright."

About an hour later Will came through the bushes with a small smile on his face. "Alright," he announced. "I think I'm done, let's go home."

**Hope you enjoyed!**

**Until next time!**

**XxNanamixX**


	2. Trip To Arant (Message from Eckhart)

Chapter Two~ A trip to Arant/Message from Eckhart

* * *

"Did you HAVE to bring him along?" Will complained, motioning towards Nate who was dancing on the front of the boat singing "I'm going to Orbis" over and over and OVER.

"Yes, I did." I snapped at my brother. "I would've felt horrible, had I left him. He's never been out of Victoria Island."

"But what if we ran into a Balrog on the ship, Caddie?" He attempted to argue. "You and I would have no problem. He'd die as soon as the 'Rog looked at him."

"That is why he is staying in the cabin of the ship." I informed him.

Nate overheard me speaking. "Excuse me?! No way I'm staying down there! I wanna fight a 'Rog!" He argued.

"No," I ordered. "You are to stay in the cabin. If the Balrog were to appear, because it is never one hundred percent certain that they will, it would kill you in an instant and you would be transported back to Ellinia."

He huffed loudly. "Fine."

The loud, eardrum bursting noise of the horn notifying all three people on the boat that it was leaving echoed through the air. And just like that, we were off. Nate and I immediately took refuge in the cabin, Will staying outside to keep guard. I began to talk to Nate about how my parents used to take Will and I to Orbis at least once a month because the city was just so pretty. And if they were feeling up to it, sometimes they would take us to Ludibrum, otherwise known as "Toyland". That was where Father had bought my Gold Titans.

I was about to launch into another story about a time when I was in Ludibrum when Will came crashing through the cabin door. "Will, what's wrong?" I asked, seeing how he was drenched in sweat and shaking nervously.

"'Rogs." He panted.

"Are they not just the regular Junior Balrogs?"

He shook his head. "No, there are two Juniors and one Crimson... I may need your help Caddie." He said.

I turned to Nate. "Stay here. Do not move." I commanded. He remained motionless. Exiting the cabin, I saw the Balrogs. Oh boy were they disgusting and ugly.

Will and I hopped and skipped all over the ship, attacking the Balrogs the entire time. Once the two Juniors were gone, and the biggest one's HP was cut by about half, Will and I went for the kill.

"HOLY CRAP! SO THAT'S A BALROG?!" I could have just slapped Nate right then. The Balrog looked for the new voice, and then his eyes landed on Nate. The smaller mammal's eyes grew wide and he began to run, but the Balrog was faster and got Nate in no time. He disappeared, and was already respawning back in Ellinia. Will and I finished off the last Balrog, and safely made it to Orbis where I called Nate on a payphone.

"You understand that once you have returned here I'm going to kill you, right?" I growled to Nate over the phone.

"Yeah yeah I know, I deserve it. Don't remind me. I'll be there as soon as the next boat comes, kay? See ya." And with that, he hung up.

Will and I went into Orbis and began reminiscing memories of when we were children, when Mother and Father were alive. Happy days, those were. All the shop owners remembered us, and stopped to ask how we were, what line of work we were in. They were all very shocked when they heard that Will had not gone into the family business of Cygnus Knights. He gave the same, untruthful response that he gave everyone else. "I don't agree with what the Cygnus Knights do, so therefore I became a Blade Master."

Once we were done seeing old friends, we stopped at a restaurant to eat something and awaited a call from Nate so we could be on our way to Arant. When Nate finally called and we had gone back to the boat station, he was not alone. Standing by him was a girl, a Wild Hunter from The Resistance I had presumed, if the large violet panther standing by her side was anything to go by. She had long black hair that was braided in two separate pieces. Her eyes were brown, and shaped like almonds, just like an Asian. She was tall, and extremely skinny, almost to the point of being unhealthy. She wore a regular huntress outfit, consisting of a feather-light green top that proved to ease motion, thick brown leather pants, and heavy brown hiking boots. Across her shoulders was a sleek black longbow.

"Will, Caddie, this is Cassidy." Nate said, gesturing towards the girl.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Cassidy." I said, and she shook my hand.

"A Cygnus Knight," she said. "Are you one of the nice ones, or one of those who walk about as if they own the place?"

I raised my eyebrows. How did she know I was a Cygnus? "I can assure you," Will piped up, "That she is one of the coolest Cygnus Knights you will ever meet."

She drew back with a sneer. "You're a knight too. Your blood vibrates the energy of one."

At this Will smirked and explained to her his reasonings for his actions. As they spoke, I turned to Nate. "So tell me again why she's joining us?"

"I just happened to see her on the boat. We started chatting. She said she was going to Arant, and I'm all like 'EYYYYYYY that's where I'm going! And she joined us." He explained, then paused. "Not only that but... she's kinda pretty. And nice. And I kind of like her."

Okay, hold on just a moment. He kind of liked her? What was THAT all about? He just met her. Something began to boil in my stomach. Was that... jealousy I felt? No, impossible. I do not feel jealousy. Pride and wrath maybe, but certainly not jealousy. "If that is how you feel."

* * *

Arant was just as hot and dry as I remembered, which was excruciatingly. Arant was a fairly poor country where everything was hideously over priced. The people there were grungy, filthy, their clothes filled with holes and rips and tears. I felt dearly for them.

I searched through the crowd of buzzing people, looking for one specific person... and then I spotted her. Fukayna was one of the more wealthy girls of Arant, having clothes that at least were not torn. Her blonde hair sat in a bun on her head, her bangs falling in her oceanic blue eyes. She too was a fellow Nightwalker, one of Eckhart's most trusted knights. We had gone through the Knighthood Training together, and you could have probably considered us childhood friends.

"Hello, Fukayna." I said as I approached her. "I got your message the other day. What was it you needed to speak to me about?"

"Hello to you too dear Caddie, and I have called you here because I have a message for you from Lord Eckhart." She said after wrapping me in a short-lived hug.

I tilted my head in slight confusion. "What do you mean? Normally Eckhart would just give me the messages himself... why is he making me go through all this trouble to get it? I will never understand him."

Fukayna laughed a little. "He wanted you, Digger and I to meet him at Ereve this Saturday, he apparently has a mission for us. He also specified that you bring NO ONE. It's a big top-secret kind of mission that has to do with the Black Mage."

My blood turned to ice. "He has returned? You mean, he's not dead?"

"I'm afraid not. That is why this mission is so imperative."

And with that, we said our goodbyes and I was off to find my brother and friend, then went home to Victoria Island.

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**Once again, reviews always appreciated.**

**Until next time!**

**XxNanamixX**


	3. Jealousy Lives In Those Who Are Unloved

Chapter three~ Jealousy Resides in The Unloved Ones

Okay, yes, I will fully and completely admit that I was jealous of Cassidy. I hated her with an ever-growing passion. Nate had made plans to go training with her on Saturday while I was gone, and that had really set me off. But of course I did not let him see my rage; I simply walked away and avoided him in order to preserve my feelings of anger. I would never let him see me this angry, this envious of her. It was two days before the Friday I was supposed to leave that he made these plans, and it was hard trying to avoid him. To busy myself and get my mind off of him, I began to pack my bags even though I did not leave until Saturday.

I was trying to neatly arrange everything in my bag, double and triple checking everything, then always purposefully found an error in my organization and did it all over.

"How many times are you going to unpack and repack?" Nate asked from the doorframe of my room which he leaned a shoulder against. He wore dark blue jeans, and was barefoot and shirtless, showing off tan, well-toned chest muscles that would have made me fight for breath if I wasn't already used to the sight.

"I'll do it as many times as I want." I replied in the calmest tone I could manage, only stealing a small glance at him.

He crossed his arms over his chest. "What aren't you telling me, Caddie? Why are you avoiding me?" He asked.

I didn't even hesitate my reply. "I've just been so busy with the mission Eckhart is sending me on." I lied. It was against my code to lie, but this one time was okay.

"Caddie," he hissed, now standing right behind me. "Don't try lying to me. It'll never work."

"Look Nate, I'm busy. Why do you not leave and go bother your stupid little girlfriend Cassidy-" I slapped a hand over my mouth before I could continue. But it didn't matter. I'd already blown my cover. He knew now that I was just a jealous pig.

But instead of looking disgusted, he looked rather... amused. He had a crooked little smirk-like grin that set off his eyes, and began to walk over to me. "So THAT'S what this is about." He mused, then pressed me against a wall and blocking me with his arms on both sides of me so I couldn't escape.

I felt my cheeks heat up and turn pink, so I looked away in order to avoid making eye contact. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Ah, but I think you do. You're scared of her." He accused. I slammed my hands into his chest in order to shove him away.

"I most certainly am not!" I yelled, going back to me suitcase.

"Yes, very scared. Jealous too?" He continued, and that was when I lost it. I could not stand it any longer. I could not stand the way he could get in my head and practically read my thoughts. I hated it. And for about five seconds, I hated HIM. And in those five seconds, I ran over and swung my fist at his face. And he caught my fist before I was able to connect with his jaw. I had no clue how he was able to do it, I was normally much faster than he. I suppose my shock must have shown quite clearly.

"Caddie," he said with a smile. "Don't be afraid or jealous of her. She's not going to replace you out here," then he took the fist of mine and held it to his chest. "Or in here."

I couldn't have held it back for another second. I ran out of the house, and down the driveway where I sat down to cry.

I heard the front door open again about ten minutes later, and I knew it was Nate coming to check on me. He had never seen me cry, and I planned to keep it that way.

I felt him hovering behind me. "Just go away Nate." He stayed put. "I said go away! Just leave me alone!"

And with that, I heard his footsteps fade away...

* * *

I knew what was waiting for me inside the house. A nice, long talk from Nate without Will to back me up. I was scared to face him. I just could not bear to see the angry, disappointed, maybe even saddened look on his face... he had every reason to be all those things. I should not have ran away. Even so, there was no way to avoid him forever. That much I knew. I had to swallow my knight's pride, and face the problem with a straight face.

So, I did.

All the lights were off when I went in, so I was a little suspicious that he might be playing some kind of trick on me. "This is not funny Nate," I called out. "You know I don't like the dark."

I took two steps backward, and then bumped into something connected to familiar arms that ran around me and held me close. "It's not supposed to be funny," he whispered, burying his face into my neck, gently rubbing my skin with his mouth. It tickled, and goosebumps covered me head to toe. He turned me around and before I could ask what it was he was doing, his lips were on mine. Then there were no thoughts or wonders, just him. Nothing else in the world mattered.

Once he broke away, my thoughts returned and one specifically hit me like a train. "He's got a girlfriend." I reminded myself. "And I just helped him cheat on her..." then I became angry and stormed off to my room again. It wasn't even pure anger that I felt, it was a mix of sorrow, regret, guilt, lust, sadness... the list goes on and on...

* * *

I left for Ellinia early the next morning, before anyone woke up.

I did not even feel guilty about not saying goodbye.

**You know the drill, reviews appreciated.**

**Until next time!**

**XxNanamixX**


	4. Digger

_Chapter four~ Digger._

Ellinia was by far my most favorite city on Victoria Island. Yes, our hometown Kerning was okay, but Ellinia was gorgeous and just... peaceful. It was very quiet and the entire city was made out of a plush, lush green oak tree. Until you entered the boat station area of course, where people chatted restlessly about where they were going. I saw a few other Cygnus knights, probably on their way to our homeland, Ereve, as well. I only knew a single one.

"Digger!" I yelled gleefully, and ran to him. He had short blonde hair that was nearly white and had bangs gelled upwards in the front. He also had beautiful grey eyes that would make anyone's knees weak, and a smile that lit up the whole world like the fourth of July. He wore Night Walker gear (which consisted of a black leather long-sleeved shirt, black leather pants, and black combat boots), just as I did.

"Oh yes, hello Caddie Cat!" He rejoiced, using a nickname Eckhart had given me back as a training knight. He wrapped me in a tight hug, picked me up and spun me in a circle, then kissed my temple. "How have you been darling?"

"Oh I have been just wonderful! What about yourself?"

"I have finally achieved level 120." Unlike the other classes, Cygnus Knights only went up to level 120 instead of 200. This was a true reason to be excited.

"Oh my, that is truly amazing!" I squealed. "We must surely throw some sort of celebratory party once we reach the homeland."

"But of course!" He agreed. "Maybe you and Fukayna can come over to wherever it is in Ereve I am staying. We may celebrate then. A party of sorts."

"I think I would like that." I replied. Immediately afterwards, the boats horn went off, and we all loaded in.

Digger and I ducked into the cabin as soon as the boat took off, not quite wanting to battle a Balrog. We had not seen each other in years, and had much to discuss. Our parents had been friends, until they died in a Black Mage attack. They had wanted Digger and I to grow and marry each other, so our children would be purebred knights as well. I still haven't decided if I would like that, even after all these years.

"So how is William? Is it true he strayed from the path and became a dual blade?" Digger asked, taking a seat on the floor.

"Oh, he's well. Yes it's true; he's a level 124 Blade Master now." I said sheepishly, taking a seat next to him.

"No one ever did tell me his story, why he let his blood go to waste. He would've made an exceptional knight..."

"Being a knight killed our parents." I explained. "He did not, and still does not, wish to die as they did. Lady Cygnus said that if he could prove himself worth by beating a ferocious beast, he would be free to do as he pleased and would still always be 'welcome' in his homeland. Unfortunately though, the beast ruined his face. There is a horrible mark across his mouth where the beast raked its claw... in the end though, he did prove himself worthy. Lady Cygnus set him free."

Digger nodded in understanding. "I believe that makes sense... but were people not upset with him? Did no rebel or go against the Empress?"

"Everyone knew his name after that. Everyone muttered and whispered things to each other as they passed through. He had told everyone that it was just simply because he did not want to be a knight. In reality, it was because he was afraid. People did indeed question the Empress's leniency, but no one rebelled." I paused for a moment. "He was so disappointed in me when I became an official knight at level thirty. He'd never been disappointed in me until then." While having Digger listen to my past was nice, tears threatened my eyes. "I was just doing what I thought would make my parents proud of me. I didn't want to be like Will, crying my apologies to them every night..."

Digger wrapped and affectionate arm around my shoulders. "You did the right thing Caddie Cat. Will was wrong to be disappointed in you."

Frantic stepping and running and some screaming was heard on the deck of the ship, letting us know the Balrogs had come. Digger stood and brushed himself off, muttering under his breath. "I might as well go up there and save everyone." He said, and flashed me a smile. "Just stay right here, okay?" I nodded as he turned to leave.

* * *

We reached Ereve not too much later. Digger and I got off the boat, and then were lead to a large courtyard that was packed with all kinds of knights, each separated into their own class. It almost reminded me of a school, in a way, how everyone grouped together. The Dawn Warriors would be the jocks, the Night Walkers would be the emo kids, the Blaze Wizards would be the straight-a students, the Wind Archers would be the popular ones, and the Thunder Breakers would be the ones that everyone wanted but no one could get.

We met up with Fukayna, and waited until something happened an hour later.

Lady Cygnus walked in, followed by the chief knights and Shinsoo. All at the same time, as if practiced, everyone got down on one knee. "Rise, everyone." She said, her quiet voice somehow bellowing through the yard. "As you all may know, Ereve is in great danger. The Black Mage is back, and we have a new enemy, Hilla. For those of you who were not at the meeting last month, Hilla tried to take the throne." Worried gasps and mumbling erupted from the crowd. Lady Cygnus held up her index finger and it was all silent again. "I have called you all here so you may speak with your instructors on what we should do about the manner. Until we come to a conclusion, you may all stay at the Erevean palace until discharge. I shall see you all tonight in the dining hall." Then she and Shinsoo turned to leave.

The knights began to flood to their instructors. It took me a second to realize I was the lowest level knight in the whole crowd. It was embarrassing.

Eckhart pulled me aside once he had led all the others to the Erevean castle. "Greetings, Cadiera." He said, using my full name. "Lady Cygnus has asked for your presence." I tensed severely. "Do not fret, it is only about William."

That only made me more scared. "She... she asked for me by name?"

"Indeed. Your parents were some of her most trusted knights. That and what with your brother... it is only right that she know your name."

"Is Will in any trouble?" I asked frantically, my voice quavering.

"Absolutely not. It is just that Lady Cygnus may need his help with this whole dilemma. And he must abide by the Empress's wishes, because whether or not he likes it, William is still one of us. It is still his duty to serve the Empress." Eckhart answered with a grave tone.

"Will will not like this."

Eckhart sighed. "War is not about whether or not one likes it, it is about serving one's country."

"You still not forgiven him, have you Lord Eckhart?"

"So many questions. No, I have not forgiven the boy, and I probably never will."

"And tell me one last thing, why have you summoned me when I am still weak? I am the lowest level knight here, have you noticed?"

"Yes, Cadiera, I am well aware. I asked you be here because of your parents. You are just like them, Caddie. Strong. Determined. You are just as strong as everyone else here."

Lady Cygnus's throne room was absolutely incredible. It was mostly plain, but still in a way that it was gorgeous. The tiles on the floor were ivory, the walls were ivory, and the large ten foot tall throne was even ivory. The light in there was almost blinding because it was just all so white.

Lady Cygnus sat in her throne, upright with her hands in her lap. I walked until I was ten feet in front of her, where I then got on one knee and bowed my head. "Rise, Cadiera Lightwood." She said, her voice as sweet as music. I lifted my head but stayed on my knee.

"You have summoned me, Lady Cygnus?" I asked, trying my best not to let my voice quaver or shake in awe.

"Indeed. I have called upon thee to speak on the manner of thy brother, William Lightwood."

"My brother is not in any predicament, is he?"

"Of course not." She chuckled slightly. "It is just that William is still a knight, lest he like it or not. It is still his duty to serve me when I am in need of his services. He is aware of this, correct?"

"Yes Milady." I replied, already imagining the fierceness of Will's wrath.

"I was just making sure. We may need him in this mission. You are dismissed."

* * *

**Once again, thanks for reading, reviews appreciated, you know the drill.**

**Until next time! **

**XxNanamixX**


	5. The Celebratory Party

**WARNING: SOME SEXUAL CONTENT. NOT APPROPRIATE FOR YOUNG READERS.**_  
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* * *

_Chapter five~ The Celebratory Party_

Not too much later, Fukayna and I found ourselves in Digger's room with multiple bottles of alcohol. Not the cheap stuff you'd find in Victoria Island, this was the nice stuff you would get from Orbis. Its intoxicating effects hit you almost immediately, making you stumble and trip and be unable to think. We sat around in the room with the bottles in our hands, somehow managing intelligent conversation about the old days.

"A-and remember that that that one when Eckhart was all like WOOOOOAAAAHHHH YOU'VE GOTTEN SOOOOOO STRONG and I was just all like yeah." Fukayna slurred.

"Oh my God I totally remember that and he was just being all Eckharty and stuff and it was scary. Eckhart is scary. I don't like him. Do you have waffles here?" I asked Digger, who was the only one that seemed unaffected by the drink. He just sat and smirked deviously at me.

"I used to have a pet turtle, and... and his name was Wallace. He was the coolest turtle EVER..." Fukayna rambled on.

"What happened to... um... what was his name again?"

"Joey, the turtle. He ran away."

"Turtles don't run, Fukayna." Digger corrected her.

"They don't?!" She gasped. "My whole life has been a lie! A LIIIEEEEEEEE!" She fell over backwards, asleep on the floor.

"Holy sh*t! A dead body! Digger, get a stick! Let's poke it!" I screeched.

Okay, our conversation wasn't INTELLIGENT, but it was conversation. Digger just lightly chuckled and carried Fukayna off to her room. When he returned, I stood and began to wobble to the door. "There's a kangaroo... in your closet... it's gonna kill me... I better go..." and then I fell, but he caught me just in time and held my head to his chest.

"There's no kangaroo, Caddie." He chuckled, then grabbed my chin and made me look up at him. "My my, you are drunk, aren't you?"

I did not know the answer at the time, so I simply said "It's rrrreeeaaalllyyy freaking hot in here."

"Well, it's no wonder. You're still in your Night Walker gear." He pointed out.

"Oh, yeah, I am, aren't I?" And then I began stripping down to my underwear and undershirt and flopped into his queen sized bed, curling up in a ball like a cat.

He smiled deviously once more and lay on his side next to me, tracing over my skin with his index finger. The gesture was soft and gentle, tickling a little and bringing goose bumps to the surface. He flattened his hand when it reached my thigh, and lingered a little. "I don't know why you can't love me like I love you." He mumbled. I quietly moaned in response with no audible words.

Moments passed in silence, until he made a move. He unfurled me from my compact little ball and laid me flat on my back. "You're so f*ckin' hot when you're wasted." He mumbled into my ear once he had straddled me. I grew a little scared. Digger had never spoken to me like that, or spoken like that in general. His voice was over flowing with a tasteful, sadistic lust. For a moment I prayed Nate were here to save me, but I knew I was on my own with this. And I also knew I was too intoxicated to stop him from doing whatever he wanted.

He threw his mouth onto my throat as his hands began to wander over me, soft yet somehow rough kisses trailing their way up until they were at my mouth. Something poked the inside of my leg and I immediately was scared sober. He sensed me tense up and stopped. "I'm sorry, Caddie. I went too far." He said, and rolled off of me. I got up and walked back to my room without and trips or stumbles.

* * *

The way I was awoken the next morning was much less than desirable. Somehow, someway, Nate was there. I have no clue when he got there, or why he was there, he was just THERE. Staring at me. Imagine waking up to a face belonging to someone you were not on speaking terms with last time you checked. What were you supposed to do then?

"Why on Earth are you here?" I asked, trying not to sound pissed off. "And I beg you to tell me Will isn't here too." I already started trying to remember how I had gotten back to my room from Digger's, but pulled up a blank card.

"Oh yeah, he's here all right. He's such a happy camper, too. He's currently outside Lady Cygnus's throne room, waiting for you. They said they wouldn't start the meeting until you came."

I had kept the empress waiting?! Why had no one woke me up?! Slightly frustrated, I dressed in Night Walker gear and flash jumped my way down the halls. Mihile, Oz, Irena, Hawkeye, and Eckhart all stood on one wall of the hallway while Will leaned up against the one opposite of them. He didn't look at all happy- like he would rather be trampled by Balrogs than go to this meeting.

"Hello Cadiera," Eckhart greeted me. "So nice of you to join us."

"My severe apologies, lord Eckhart. No one woke me up on time. I had no idea my brother would be getting here this early." I apologized.

"Wait, you KNEW I was going to be called here?!" William roared at the top of his lungs.

Eckhart dashed to my side and pushed me behind him. "You are not to speak to one of our best knights in such a manner, whether you be related or not. You are beneath us, do not forget this!" He roared in equal volume.

The racket drew Lady Cygnus from her throne room. "Cadiera, William, Eckhart, what is going on here?"

"This Dual Blade SCUM spoke disrespectfully to Cadiera. I was simply defending one of our best knights." Eckhart spat, not looking away from Will.

"Now now boys, let us take this inside the throne room. We do not want to attract attention, do we now?"

"No, my Lady." Eckhart grumbled.

We all meandered into the throne room; Will throwing me venomous looks the entire time as if to say "This is isn't over."

* * *

**I think you know what to do.**

**Until next time!**

**XxNanamixX**


	6. The Meeting Where Someone Almost Died

**Very sorry for not updating in a while, I've had no access to a computer. I hope you enjoy this next chapter. Reviews appreciated!**

_Chapter six~ The Meeting Where Someone Almost Died_.

* * *

Lady Cygnus sat in her throne, and all the knights bowed to her, but not Will. I stared at him with anger in my eyes, trying to make him drop to his knees under the weight of my gaze. No such luck

"Why should I bow? She is not my Empress." William hissed, causing Eckhart's glare to harden.

"This is a perfect opportunity to use him. He is not one of us, but at the same time he is. We can bend him any which way we please-such as sending him to the Black Mage's lair and using him as a spy." Lady Cygnus rambled.

"You're f*cking hilarious." William scoffed, and Eckhart growled. Will turned his head, smiled, and stuck out his tongue. "Geez Eck, I know I'm pretty but you don't have to stare." He mocked. That's when Eckhart lost his cool. He lunged at Will, arms out and teeth bared, and tackled him to the floor. The unsuspecting William had no time to counter, but was still able to defend himself from Eckhart's clawing hands which aimed for his eyes. They barrel-rolled around on the floor for about three seconds before Mihile stepped in to intervene. Mihile grabbed Eckhart by the shoulders and ripped him off of Will, still clawing furiously.

"Calm yourself, Eck!" Mihile yelled, and Eckhart stopped, recollected himself, and turned back to Lady Cygnus.

"I guess it is a good thing that that is not the plan." Lady Cygnus mumbled.

"My Lady, are you trying to say that you already have a plan devised?" Irena asked once they were settled.

She nodded. "As you may know, right now, Hilla is our main priority. Phantom, his warriors, my chief knights and I will be taking care of her. As for my other knights, we will be putting them into groups of six to ten people, having one from each class and another member of their own choice."

"Such as…?" I asked.

"Such as an Explorer, a Jett, a Cannoneer, an Angelic Buster, a Resistance member, an Aran, an Evan, or a Mercedes." She replied.

"How in the world did you get any of them to agree to this?" spoke up Oz.

"Quite simply, in fact. The Explorers, Jetts and Cannoneers were very willing to help. They would never turn down an opportunity to take down the Black Mage. The Angelic Busters did not have anything too important going on, so they had no problem accepting our plea. The Resistance members, also, are severe enemies of the Black Mage, and would love him dead just as much as us. The Arans, Evans, and Mercedes are also assisting us because of their hatred as well." She explained.

"What about the Kaiser, Luminous and Dual Blades?" Hawkeye questioned.

Lady Cygnus looked down and sighed. "Unfortunately, the Kaiser race has problems of their own they are dealing with, and cannot spare any troops for assistance. The Luminous, however, are too unpredictable to have around anyone. The Dual Blades and Knights have never gotten along since THAT was created." She gestured towards my brother, and Hawkeye nodded in understanding.

Will was looking down, eyes closed in thought. "I just have one question." He piped up, not moving. "Isn't this the same plan that got the Lightwoods, Wrights, McCrearys, Rials, Galbraiths, Chevelles and Haynes before us murdered?" he interrogated.

Lady Cygnus stared at him with a hopeless gaze. "Yes, Will, it is, but slightly revamped. Back then, they were permitted 20 per team. We do not have enough knights for that now."

"So why are you going with the same plan? Do you want to get us all killed again? Because surely you're going to put Caddie, Fukayna, Brittney, Freya, Seth, Alec, Digger and I on the same team… aren't you, Cygnus?"

"How do you know all of their children's names?" she snapped.

"Brittney Wright, the Wind Archer. Freya McCreary, the Blaze Wizard. Seth Rial, the Thunder Breaker. Alec Galbraith, the Dawn Warrior. And of course, Digger Hayne and Fukayna Chevelle, the Night Walkers. You can surely say I've done my research on this subject multiple times." He looked up, wearing a smirk. "I mean, come on, I'm not that stupid. I know the Lightwoods aren't dead, either."

I froze and stopped breathing momentarily. Our parents weren't dead? What did he mean by that? "The Black Mage turned them. They're members of darkness- but they willingly went. You were greatly upset by the betrayal of your toughest knights, weren't you, Cygnus?"

"Yes, but I-"

"So why are you putting the children of the traitors with the children of your strongest knights? Aren't you afraid we would betray you too?"

"ENOUGH!" Cygnus roared.

"I know your real plan." He continued, and now he had all of the Chief Knights paying close attention, hanging on his every word. No one moved to stop him from his interrogation of the Empress, for they had never heard her yell, or seen her so upset. "You're hoping to kill off all of the strongest knights, and use the two remaining Lightwoods to the Black Mage's advantage, aren't you, Cygnus? Or should I say… Hilla?"

* * *

**Dear Readers,**

**I have some very unfortunate news. The real Nate and I have separated, meaning we are no longer friends. I am very sad about this, and I find it tough to write about him this story. This Fanfiction was supposed to be based off of Me (Cadiera) and Nate as the main romance couple, but I don't think I can with him... gone. **

**I don't believe I'll be continuing this story because of our painful separation, unless you truly want me to, then I'll get over it. **

**Until then, this is the final chapter.**

**There may never be a next time...**

**XxNanamixX**


	7. Times of Young Love

**Hope you guys haven't given up on me! I know I haven't updated in a while, so here's another chapter. Great news! Nate and I are friends again, so the uploads should come even faster.**

_Chapter Seven~ The Death Shock_

The entire throne room was deathly silent. I don't even think anyone was breathing at that point.

Cygnus raised her eyebrows. "That is a very serious accusation young man," she stated with a pointed glare. "But I'll play along. Go on Oz, use your Wizard's eye to see that I truly am Queen Cygnus."

Oz recoiled back in fear, but she quickly wiped it away and glanced at Eckhart for permission. Eckhart nodded, and she stepped forward. She held her arms out, and closed her emerald green eyes. Her arms stretched out, and a slight wind began to blow, tumbling her red hair. A closed eye appeared in the open space between them, blinked, and disappeared.

"Oz? What do you see? Eckhart asked, reaching out towards her, but Mihile placed his arm in front of his chest and stopped him. He stepped back once more.

Oz's eyes opened in a sharp wince of pain. She gasped and fell to the ground, her eyes filled with terror. "Evil!" She screamed. "You're EVIL!"

A ring of shadows formed around Hilla's feet and slowly traveled up, bringing her true appearance to the surface. Long, light brown hair, yellow cat-like eyes, golden arm bands, golden hair pieces, and a sky blue dress. She glowered evilly. "You dual blade SCUM!" she shrieked. "How on earth could you have done that?!" She waved her arm in a swift motion, and a gust of wind blasted Oz back against a wall, and was knocked unconscious. Eckhart frantically flash jumped to her and set her head in his lap.

"Oz? OZ! Are you okay? Come on honey, wake up! Speak to me!" he wailed.

A whirlwind of shadows began to form, closing in on Hilla, and she vanished. Everyone quickly flocked to Oz and Eckhart, who was still freaking out. He was clutching her tight.

He glared at all of us. "What the hell are you all just standing around for?!" he screamed. "Someone go get a f*cking cleric!"

Irena was the one to go get the Cleric. Mihile went to go contact Lord Phantom that the empress had been captured. Mihile went to go check on our other-raced guests. Will went to spread it to the rest of the palace. I stayed with Lord Eckhart to watch over Oz.

Two dawn warriors carried Lady Oz off to the hospital wing on a stretcher; I recognized one from knighthood training- and our parents had worked together. I would say our parents suffered the same fate, but according to Will, my parents weren't dead.

Alec Galbraith looked just as I remembered- tall and pale, broad shouldered, with longish black hair and coal black eyes. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt, blue jeans, and black leather sandals. He flashed me a quick smile when I waved, a simple greeting among all knights.

Eckhart and I sat outside Lady Oz's room, waiting for a report on her condition. I quizzed him some.

"So how long have you and Oz been… together?" I asked, trying not to giggle.

Eck was hunched over in his chair, looking down with his elbows on his knees and twirling his mask mindlessly in his restless hands. "Well," he said. "We were both level thirty. We had just reached the level to become official knights for the empress before Cygnus."

"You mean Aria?"

He nodded. "The empress is very young despite her looks and maturity, which is why Lord Phantom fell for her."

My jaw dropped. "You mean to tell me…"

"Yes. Lady Cygnus and Lord Phantom are together as well, despite the great loss he went through."

"Great loss?"

"It's the same as what happened to all the other heroes, minus Freud. They were all level 200, and dropped 199 levels."

"Didn't the same thing happen to Lord Kaiser of NOVA?"

He pursed his lips and paused, thinking about my question before giving me an answer. "Similar, but not quite. See, Lord Kaiser was defeated by Magnus, an exile who then turned into a straight up traitor. How Magnus managed to defeat Kaiser… well, that's something everyone wants to know. But after Kaiser was defeated, he reincarnated into another child, which is why he nor his troops could help out."

"Okay, I get it now. What brought about the angelic busters?" Not that I really cared for them, but I might as well know.

"When Kaiser first resurrected, he had a friend named Tear. Tear was brave enough to help Kaiser fight the nefarious priests who were tampering with the relic in the East Sanctum, and touched the relic by accident, thus cursing her."

"I see. Now we've gotten off track. Back to you and Oz."

"Right, right. We'd just reached the level to become official knights for Aria, and were on our way to be tested. Once at the grounds, I lost myself in watching her. The way she twirled her staff to cast spells so effortlessly, the way her hair danced around her shoulders… It was love at first sight.

I tried to show off my own skills to impress her, but I couldn't do a whole lot. Shurikan blast, Gust Charm, Vampire… none of that was all too impressive.

But she liked me enough to accept my offer for dinner!" he added with a grin.

"Aw, that's so sweet!"

The cleric stepped out of the room, looking too relieved for words. "Miss Oz will be fine," she said with a happy sigh. "She broke half of her rib cage the very second the slammed against the wall, and hitting the floor ruptured an internal organ, and caused some internal bleeding, but she'll be fine."

Eckhart activated Haste, ran into the room, and was by her side by the time I was done blinking. "Oz? Oz, honey, it's me, it's your dark prince. I'm here, I'm here." He whispered softly, brushing red hair out of her sleeping face, kneeling by her bedside. He grabbed one of her hands in both of his, and brought them to his mouth.

The whole thing brought tears to my eyes. Not because I was sad or worried, but because the scene that was just displayed before me was so beautiful that my heart began to melt. I'd never seen anyone so devoted to someone else, someone so in love… and Eckhart, of all people! It was touching, and amazing.

I silently hoped that maybe one day, I could feel that too.

**If you're contemplating leaving a review, just think... "What would Jesus do?"**

**Until next time!**

**XxNanamixX**


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